Princes do not show weakness
by Tracy-Needs-Coffee
Summary: Arthur has been trained to never show weakness. But Merlin has always been Arthur's weakness.
1. Chapter 1

Once long ago one of Uther's knights gave Arthur the runt from a litter one of the royal hunting dogs had. He named him Boris and Arthur loved him and took care of him. Boris slept in Arthur's bed in his nursery and Arthur gave him the scraps from his meals. Boris doted on Arthur, and Arthur grew more attached each day.

Until one day Uther bothered to pay attention to his son long enough to notice the young dog and Arthur's love for him. Uther had the dog taken out and killed while Arthur's nurse held him as he screamed. Uther pulled him from his nurse's arms and informed him that loving a dog was a weakness, and Princes did not show weakness. Arthur was five.

When Arthur was eight he made friends with a boy from the kitchens. His name was Robert and he was nine and the son of one of the cook's helpers. They snuck into empty rooms and ate stolen sweat-meats and played at being knights and spun in circles until they were dizzy and fell to the floor giggling.

Until one day a servant saw them together. And then Robert and his family were gone from Camelot and Arthur never saw him again. And Uther informed him that making friends with servants was a weakness, and Princes did not show weakness. Arthur didn't try to make friends again.

When Arthur was sixteen he lost his first tournament. He was defeated by a much older and more experienced knight who had broken Arthur's sword arm badly. While Gaius set and splinted his arm Uther scowled down at Arthur.

Princes were warriors. Princes were champions. Losing a tournament was a weakness, and Princes did not show weakness. Arthur didn't lose a tournament again.

When Arthur was eighteen he had his first lover. Lady Alice was the second daughter of one of Uther's lords. Lady Alice was a year younger than Arthur. They were madly in love as only the young can be with their first lovers. They made each other promises and swore to be together always.

Until Uther learned about it and then Lady Alice's father was given a large sum of gold and Lady Alice was sent off to marry a lord in a far away land. Arthur didn't get to say goodbye. Uther informed him that he would marry for the good of Camelot and for no other reason. Princes did not fall in love, love is a weakness and Princes did not show weakness. Arthur didn't take a lover for more than one night again.

When Arthur was nineteen he met Merlin. And everything changed. Arthur became attached, and he became friends, and he loved. But Arthur had learned his lessons well. He called Merlin an idiot or useless, and knocked him around, he shouted at him, and worked him to exhaustion. And if at times he found himself longing to show Merlin his feelings, to kiss him and love him freely, he could find comfort in the fact that no one knew, no one saw.

And so Merlin wasn't killed and Merlin wasn't sent away. And if sometimes Arthur's longing for Merlin was so great that it caused him pain, he would punch Merlin's shoulder and smirk and call him an idiot. But Merlin was safe, and Arthur didn't show his weakness for him.

Because Princes did not show weakness.


	2. Chapter 2

As the years had progressed Uther had become more and more obsessed with eradicating all traces of magic. A person need merely be accused of witchcraft and they were executed that very day without trial. Anyone who spoke against the king was killed, or if they were lucky, imprisoned. Arthur himself had spent quite a few nights in the dungeons. Arthur saw in the people that they were ready to snap. However it wasn't until Merlin was brought before Uther on charges of witchcraft that Arthur took action.

The majority of knights sided with Arthur and he ended the fight with his sword at his father's throat. He ordered his father and the men who'd fought with him to be locked in the dungeons.

Arthur grabbed Merlin by the arm and dragged him all the way to Arthur's chambers. He slammed him back against the closed door.

"I have wanted you for years so if you have any objections you need to voice them now."

Merlin was breathless from trying to keep up with Arthur on the way to his rooms, and even more so because Arthur was pinning him to a door. The hard length of Arthur's body pressed all along Merlin. In answer to the question Merlin fisted a hand in Arthur's hair and dragged him into a kiss.

Arthur growled and bit at Merlin's mouth. He jerked Merlin's tunic up and off, ripping it in the process. His own tunic made a satisfying tearing sound as Merlin pulled it off. Arthur fought with the laces on Merlin's trousers but they only became more knotted. Finally he just took out his dagger and cut them off, closing his mouth over Merlin's when the dark haired man made a sound of protest. Merlin had better luck getting Arthur's trousers off, and both men kicked away the discarded clothing as they made their way to the bed.

Merlin pulled away slightly. "Wait Arthur, wait."

"What?" Arthur looked dazed. Then just as suddenly his face fell. "You're changing your mind?"

"No! I want you. I've always wanted you. I just need to tell you something."

Arthur grinned and it made Merlin swallow. He leaned down to kiss Merlin's neck. "Tell me later."

Merlin pushed at Arthur's chest. "No Arthur I have to tell you now."

Arthur groaned. "Fine. What is it?"

"The charges I was brought before your father for, I didn't do that." He most certainly did not make a love potion to seduce a lord's wife. It wasn't his fault that the woman had frequent affairs and had tried to bed him.

"I know," said Arthur, stroking a hand down Merlin's arm.

"But I can do magic."

"I know."

"I mean I'm not evil or anything. And I would never – wait what do you mean you know?"

Arthur chuckled. "I know. I've known for a very long time."

Merlin looked shocked. "And you didn't say anything?"

"Neither did you." Arthur pushed Merlin down onto the bed and covered his body with his own. "So, now that we've gotten that behind us can we continue what we were doing?"

"Um, oh, yes."

"Turn over," Arthur ordered. Merlin's breath hitched as he moved to comply. Arthur pressed his hands down the expanse of Merlin's back. His mouth followed the path of his hands, kissing and licking the pale skin until he reached the swell of Merlin's ass. His hands kneaded Merlin's cheeks before he spread them and licked down Merlin's crack.

Merlin's hands fisted in the linens and he shouted. "Arthur what are you-?"

Arthur lapped at Merlin's hole. Merlin went very still. Arthur's tongue circled the puckered flesh before he blew coolly on it, making Merlin shudder.

"Arthur," Merlin whimpered.

Arthur moved down further and licked and sucked on the smooth skin behind Merlin's balls. As Merlin gasped and panted Arthur went back to tonguing the entrance to his body. The mighty sorcerer made pitiful keening sounds as Arthur's tongue pushed into him. Arthur used his tongue to imitate what he would soon be doing with his cock. Arthur pulled away to fumble in the cabinet beside his bed for the vial of oil he kept there, but he took an obscene amount of pleasure in the disappointed sound Merlin made.

"On your back Merlin." Arthur watched as Merlin turned over, his leaking cock lying hard and heavy against his stomach. Merlin's eyes were glazed over and dark and he was panting heavily as his thighs fell open.

Arthur poured oil into his hand and pressed a finger to Merlin's spit slick hole. Arthur licked a swipe up the underside of the other man's cock while with gentle pressure he pushed two oiled fingers into Merlin's body. Merlin made a choked sound and clamped down on Arthur's fingers.

"Do you have any idea just how many hours I've spent wanting this? How often I lay in this very bed fisting my cock while wishing I were inside you?"

Merlin's eyes closed tightly. "Arthur."

Arthur added a third finger and twisted them inside the other man in a way that made him cry out and arch up.

"Oh yes. Just like that. Wanted you so long. Wanted you moaning and begging and writhing on my fingers, on my cock."

Merlin clawed at Arthur's sides. "Please. Arthur. More. Please."

"Yes, finally." Arthur used more oil to slick himself before pressing his cock against Merlin's loosened hole. "Gods finally!"

Merlin whimpered and bit his bottom lip as tears filled his eyes. Despite Arthur's preparations the pain was intense.

Arthur kissed Merlin gently. "I'm sorry. It'll pass, I promise. Just try to relax." He braced himself over Merlin while he massaged his stomach and leaned down to press kisses to Merlin's face and neck.

Merlin didn't take long before he was moving against Arthur. Taking that as permission, Arthur sank all the way into Merlin and then slowly pulled out again. "Alright?"

Merlin nodded and clutched at Arthur's shoulders, pulling him down and crushing their mouths together. Mouths open and tongues mingling, Arthur thrust his hard cock into Merlin's tight body. Over and over their bodies moved in this dance both familiar and foreign. Because it was Merlin, and it was Arthur. It was them. And they had yearned and loved for so very long.

Merlin keened and babbled nonsense as Arthur rubbed against that place inside him that made him lose his breath and see stars. Arthur was all around him, touching him and filling him. His mouth sucking bruises into Merlin's neck. Merlin's dripping cock was trapped between them, rubbing against Arthur's belly with each thrust.

Suddenly it was too much. Because this was Arthur, who Merlin would die for, would kill for. Who Merlin had loved since he came to Camelot. Who Merlin had thought he would never in his wildest dreams actually have.

He screamed and his back arched as his fingers dug into Arthur's back and he came between their stomachs.

Merlin clamped down on Arthur's cock. "Merlin!" Arthur pressed deep as his come filled Merlin's body.

Merlin lay there wrecked, gasping for air, covered in their sweat and his own come, his hair plastered to his forehead. And Arthur thought he'd never looked more beautiful.

"I love you Merlin."

Merlin smiled tiredly. "I love you too Arthur."

* * *

><p>Very much later that night Arthur visited his father's cell.<p>

"Arthur release me at once!"

Arthur remained expressionless. "The time for that has come and gone father. The people will no longer follow you. Your grief at mother's loss and your obsession with magic has driven you mad. You have slaughtered countless people. You are a tyrant. Already the people are crying for your blood."

"Arthur you can't do this! I am your father, your King!"

"Your execution will be held at dawn."

Uther paled. "Arthur please, mercy."

Arthur leaned in close to the bars of his father's cell. "Mercy is a weakness, and Princes do not show weakness." He turned away from his father and walked out of the dungeons. After all, Merlin was waiting in bed for him.

End.


End file.
